The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

BOOM! Hot Gay Mess Suddenly Explodes Over Rick Perry’s Iowa Campaign Ad

Posted on | December 10, 2011 | 29 Comments

Welcome to the point in the campaign when the copy desk starts using words like “embattled” in headlines on stories that include phrases like “mired in controversy” about the “struggling” candidate:

Backlash over a TV ad by Texas Gov. Rick Perry has exploded into public accusations and recriminations, with the leader of a gay Republican group declaring that a longtime GOP pollster is secretly homosexual. . . .
There were reports that some of Perry’s campaign staff — including pollster Tony Fabrizio — opposed the ad’s message. Jimmy LaSalvia, co-founder of the gay Republican group GOProud, gave an interview to the Huffington Post and published Twitter messages in which he used a slur to identify Fabrizio as homosexual.  GOProud subsequently issued a statement declaring: “Rick Perry should be embarrassed and the people around him who are the architects of this strategy, particularly people like Tony Fabrizio, should be ashamed.” . . .

Read the rest of that story — a fine specimen of Neutral Objective Journalism — and ask yourself: What is the obvious consequence of this?

Yeah: Perry’s toast in Iowa. Because as Jazz Shaw notes, Tony Fabrizio’s secret wasn’t really much of a secret:

Tony was apparently actively involved in Outgiving, a strong supporter of LGBT causes, and also did a lot of work for the Log Cabin Republicans.

Imagine how that’s going to play in Sioux City.

On the one hand, Perry can fire Fabrizio and look like a hateful bigot. On the other hand, he can keep Fabrizio and lose the crucial “hateful bigot” vote in Iowa that this TV ad was intended to win over:

He’s trapped, with no good options, and you have to wonder whether Perry will be asked about this “mired in controversy” angle during tonight’s “pivotal” debate. If such a question is asked, of course, there’s no need to wonder what Perry will do: He’ll make a complete fool of himself again.

Ace of Spades didn’t mention the likely political fallout:

I’m tired of Stalinists and blackmailers, personally  But if GOProud’s sick of “faggots,” that’s their deal.

Ace did, however, mention that Andrew Breitbart resigned from the GOProud board. That’s going to pour a few gallons of highly flammable publicity on the sparks of what is destined to become known as the “Perry Campaign Gay Scandal,” which will almost certainly burn down what’s left of Perry’s poll numbers in Iowa.

Imagine what they’ll be saying Monday on Morning Joe. Imagine what Lawrence O’Donnell and Rachel Maddow will do with this story. Imagine how the entire NY/DC liberal media establishment will hop on this story and ride it all week long. It doesn’t take too much imagination, does it? And so now we ask . . .

Cui bono?

That’s Italian. Maybe you can ask an Italian guy what it means.

Category: Election 2012, Gays, Iowa, Rick Perry

Comments

29 Responses to “BOOM! Hot Gay Mess Suddenly Explodes Over Rick Perry’s Iowa Campaign Ad”

  1. Lisa Graas
    December 10th, 2011 @ 7:36 pm

    Notice how it’s apparently a “sin” to be “secretly” homosexual? Sigh and alas.

  2. Anonymous
    December 10th, 2011 @ 7:41 pm

    Sweetheart, I don’t know if you realize it, but this ugly mess — in which Rick Santorum played no role at all — is the best thing to happen to him since that earthquake in Vanuatu.

  3. Anonymous
    December 10th, 2011 @ 8:03 pm

    If Perry’s campaign is dead – and I agree with you that it is – why do you desperately keep beating him?  Are you afraid that that Perry will rise up again, like Jason Voorhees?

  4. Anonymous
    December 10th, 2011 @ 8:12 pm

    There are still Perry supporters in Iowa supporting that zombie campaign. They need to wake up and smell the toast.

  5. Anonymous
    December 10th, 2011 @ 8:14 pm

    This will turn into a very ugly mess as every candidate will be offered the option of opining on what has transpired. This will be spread over everyone.

    That Perry campaign add should have never seen the light of day as the damage it would do to the Perry campaign would have been devastating even if everyone who has now spoken out and wishes they had not had been fortunate enough to have kept their mouths shut.

    This is a prime example of what happens when an individual feels they must keep their personal life a secret at work while they are living large outside of work. GOProud had no idea that Tony was in the closet at work.

    Lisa: As you can now see, yes it can be a major “sin” to admit homosexuality.

    The question for the Perry campaign now is butter or grape jelly?

  6. newrouter
    December 10th, 2011 @ 8:18 pm

    “a village in texas is missing an idiot” just saying

  7. Addie Tewd
    December 10th, 2011 @ 8:25 pm

    I loved Perry’s ad. I feel sorry for Fabrizio. GoProud opinions are a lot like orgasms. They think theirs is more important, and they don’t give a damn if you have one or not. Interesting that they called the man a “Faggot” for not advertising his homosexuality. I hope Tony Fabrizio does not resign because of these fools and their attacks. GoProud needs to go back into the closet if they want to cling to their homosexual addictions. Glad they got booted out of the convention. Just like anyone with addictions, no one hates a person who is living with this burden but they are hoping that they will overcome their behavior for their own sake and health. The only one making it an ugly mess is Liberal GoProud.

  8. SVT
    December 10th, 2011 @ 8:36 pm

    This is a bad rap on Perry.  The ad was not “anti-gay.”  Why are you choosing to act as a useful idiot on this issue?

  9. john lichtenstein
    December 10th, 2011 @ 9:00 pm

    Forget this. Tonight everyone is supposed to be reminded that Gingrich isn’t a conservative. Also that he wasn’t smart enough to outsmart Bill Clinton. By the way, he can’t even pronounce his own name (it should rhyme with “sing thick”). 

  10. ThePaganTemple
    December 10th, 2011 @ 11:28 pm

    Well, let’s see what he said, something to the effect, to paraphrase “when you can be openly gay in the US military, but your kids can’t pray in school, something’s wrong”.

    You don’t think that line inferred and played up to an anti-gay sentiment? Come on, it wasn’t even really that subtle.

  11. ThePaganTemple
    December 10th, 2011 @ 11:30 pm

    Maybe somebody should convince Newt he’s not a conservative, he doesn’t seem to get the message.

  12. ThePaganTemple
    December 10th, 2011 @ 11:36 pm

    Clearly the person they are trying to injure is Rick Perry, GOProud doesn’t give a crap about Fabrizio one way or another. They’re just trying to play the same game everybody else is playing, damage one candidate for the benefit of their preferred candidate, whoever that might be.

  13. ThePaganTemple
    December 10th, 2011 @ 11:38 pm

    I don’t see how this benefits Santorum at all, seeing as how he himself had gay people on his staff as long ago as 2006 and maybe well before.

  14. UPDATED: Dear Tony Fabrizio, we have no obligation to cut our own throats by keeping your not-secret — Cynthia Yockey, A Conservative Lesbian
    December 11th, 2011 @ 12:26 am

    […] Stacy McCain is gleeful about this story, but analyzes it from his point of view as a supporter of Rick Santorum and the effect this controversy will have on Rick Perry’s campaign in Iowa. He also links Jimmy’s interview with The Huffington Post, which is worth reading. Tweet How to Get Lots of Money for Anything — Fast! […]

  15. K-Bob
    December 11th, 2011 @ 12:51 am

    Meh.  More ugly spin.  I think I’m taking the rest of December off from politics.  When you’ve got Beck claiming it’s racist (sorry, raaaaacist) to vote for Newt, and now people wanting to turn this into a some sort of war over gayness (“macaca” anyone?), that’s a sign people are far too close to the problem, and need to step back and have an eggnog with plenty of Jack Daniels in it.

    The fact I didn’t correct that run-on sentence proves how unstable the whole political environment has become.  How else to excuse it?

  16. K-Bob
    December 11th, 2011 @ 12:52 am

    By the way, the “pumpkin eggnog” at Krogers is really quite good.  Add some ice cubes.

  17. Anonymous
    December 11th, 2011 @ 8:41 am

    “GoProud opinions are a lot like orgasms. They think theirs is more important, and they don’t give a damn if you have one or not.”

    Thread Winner!

  18. Anonymous
    December 11th, 2011 @ 8:45 am

    Didn’t know you were from TX.

    Meh. Doesn’t surprise me that most of the people who never liked Perry are buying into the Left’s “cartoon socon who wants to lynch teh Gay”; I’m surprised to find Stacey slurping that particular Kool-Aid, since he’s classified that way by a number of commenters / Establicans from his own admission.

  19. Anonymous
    December 11th, 2011 @ 8:47 am

    See my comment a few posts down. It’s all about the growing recognition that the Church of Anti-Theism is allowed to promote its’ views while Christians aren’t, supposedly under the guise of separation of church and state.

  20. SVT
    December 11th, 2011 @ 9:48 am

    He was contrasting the fact that a previously prohibited behavior is now allowed in a government institution with the fact that previously allowed behavior is being prohibited in another.  I didn’t hear him say he was in favor of going back to DADT.  If you want to buy into the meme that having the government treat open homosexuality and prayer more equally is “anti-gay,” so be it.

  21. WyBlog - Weekend Warblings, the Iowa GOP debate edition
    December 11th, 2011 @ 11:59 am

    Weekend Warblings, the Iowa GOP debate edition…

    And not for nothing, but it’s bad enough having the lame-stream media piling on our candidates, so I’m especially disappointed when respected conservative bloggers feel the need to gin up more fake controversy. This time it’s Stacy McCain recycling …

  22. Best comments of the debate last night? Newt Gingrich is not the problem, Obama is « The Daley Gator
    December 11th, 2011 @ 5:22 pm

    […] so I’m especially disappointed when respected conservative bloggers feel the need to gin up more fake controversy. This time it’s Stacy McCain recycling the Is-Rick-Perry-Gay non-story just in time for the […]

  23. ThePaganTemple
    December 11th, 2011 @ 11:24 pm

    Yecch that sounds sickening. Make your own. It’s worth the time and effort.

  24. K-Bob
    December 12th, 2011 @ 4:30 am

    I’ve made my own before. This stuff is really good. There’s no bizarre flavoring. It just tastes like eggnog. I don’t know what actual “pumpkin” is in it.

  25. Bob Belvedere
    December 12th, 2011 @ 10:14 am

    Will you have jam or butter on that toast, Mr. McCain.

  26. Bob Belvedere
    December 12th, 2011 @ 10:17 am

    Mrs. Belvedere made herself a cocktail last night with Old New England Eggnog, Jim Beam, and pumpkin ice cream and, though I don’t like pumpkin, maaaan it was good.

  27. Bob Belvedere
    December 12th, 2011 @ 10:19 am

    While I certainly understand your feelings, K-Bob, I urge you to at least keep checking out the various Rule 5 postings that some of us are publishing.  It’s the least you can do to help out your Friends In The Ether during this latest round of Holiday Traffic Suckage Season!

  28. Jerry Stafford
    December 12th, 2011 @ 1:35 pm

    no what he is saying is if serving openly gay is ok (and many christians do not believe it is) then openly praying to a higher authority (God) should not be…….

  29. K-Bob
    December 12th, 2011 @ 6:34 pm

    I guess I can take one for the team, then. This “Rule 5” of which you speak… does it hurt?